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It could have been an email: How generational gaps cause communication conflict in the office

May 13, 2024

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In an age of instant messaging and video conferencing, the way employees communicate within the workplace has changed drastically, experts say. And, according to a recent study, that can cause conflict between the generations. Recruitment agency Robert Walters surveyed approximately 2,000 white collar professionals across Canada and found that younger generations are leaning heavily on digital communications styles, with 59 per cent preferring instant messaging and email over calls or meetings. They’re also turning away from direct interaction, with 50 per cent reporting they feel uncomfortable making phone calls and 46 per cent saying that taking long lunch meetings with clients is an outdated practice. “They’ve grown up in the digital age and tend to favour digital channels for their convenience, speed and ability to multitask,” said Martin Fox, managing director of Robert Walters Canada. “They don’t make phone calls often, not even to their friends.” Older generations, meanwhile, continue to value business phone calls and face-to-face meetings, with 49 per cent believing that less interaction will have a negative impact on relationships. At the same time, only 11 per cent of younger professionals believe calls and meetings are worthwhile. According to Fox, younger team members may report feeling overwhelmed or disengaged during meetings or calls. Conversely, older employees may have a negative perception of their younger colleagues, feeling they over-rely on technology and questioning their interpersonal skills. “It can lead to misunderstandings, frustration, inefficiency within teams and important messages may get lost in translation, which will hinder effective collaboration and teamwork,” he said. Without taking the time to foster understanding, these differences in communication styles between generations can create tension in the workplace, according to Fox. He suggests bridging the gap starts by understanding how preferences vary among employees. “That will allow both sides to develop an understanding and empathy across generations, which will hopefully create a culture of inclusivity and acceptance of different styles,” he said. “It’s about coming to an agreement of what’s going to work for us as a team. Another way is to offer partnership programs where employees can learn from each other and gain insight into different communication styles.”

Gaps in communication ecosystem can exacerbate conflict

While generational differences are clear, Andrea Greenhous said it isn’t just age that dictates communication preferences. “There’s also personality differences, different learning styles,” said Greenhous, president of Vision2Voice, an Ottawa-based internal communications consulting firm. “For example, introverts work very differently than extroverts. Introverts, if you’re in a meeting discussing ideas, often won’t speak up, so you need to give them alternate ways to communicate their ideas.” When it comes to navigating conflicting communications styles, Greenhous said it isn’t about finding a balance between gen Z and baby boomers’ styles, but determining which channels work best for achieving the desired outcome. “We have to be really clear about what we use, when to use it and why it’s effective,” she said. “It’s really about the type of work you’re doing and the type of outcome you’re trying to achieve and making sure that you’re using the right tool. It’s about trying and learning and trying something else. Nothing is perfect and no channel is going to be perfect.” For example, while some older workers prefer face-to-face meetings, those meetings can still become a point of frustration for everyone if they aren’t well thought out or if something’s lacking in the company’s communication ecosystem. Greenhouse said many of her clients struggle with company-wide town halls because gaps in the company’s communication system meant information wasn’t being passed on to employees and, as a result, those in-person meetings often ended up going off-topic. “The CEO would get up and talk about priorities and strategy, but people wanted to know when they were getting a raise,” she said. “A town hall is not the time to tell them that. But there was something missing in that communication ecosystem, where they weren’t giving employees updates on salary. We really looked at the system and how different topics are effectively communicated through the right channels at the right time.” When it comes to the generational divide, Greenhous added that, for both younger and older employees, a gap in skills or comfort can often be the source of conflict. “Some of the older generation are not as tech savvy; they’re not digital natives,” she said. “With gen Z, they’re a bit behind socially because of the pandemic. They spent their first years in the workforce behind a computer.” When it comes to building a cohesive communication ecosystem around conflicting styles, establishing clear guidelines about what to use when can help all generations adapt when new channels are introduced. “The biggest thing is people don’t know what to use when,” she said. “When do we use Teams? When do we have a meeting? When do we use Slack? With a couple clients, we made infographics with the why and how we use it and some best practices, tips and tricks. It made it really easy for everyone to be on the same page and use channels for the right reasons.” Training can help get everyone up to speed, but providing reassurance is just as important. “It’s not just giving people the skills, but giving people the space, making it safe for them,” Greenhous said. “It’s new territory. It’s going to be uncomfortable the first few times, but that’s okay. Normalizing failure and normalizing the discomfort of trying something for the first time — it requires courage and vulnerability. Being supportive and giving them the skills will help them move through the learning curve.”